Understanding the development of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Many people experience a combination of psychotic and mood symptoms that change over time, and often do not fit neatly into the diagnostic categories of ‘schizophrenia’ or ‘bipolar disorder’. Regardless of diagnosis, common treatments for psychotic and mood symptoms do not currently address shared cognitive deficits associated with these conditions.

Researchers within the UNSW School of Psychiatry and affiliated organisations are conducting investigations into a variety of factors involved in the development of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. We hope to learn about the genetic basis of cognitive markers of vulnerability for these disorders, which impact on social outcomes, the ability to regulate emotional experiences, and the brain mechanisms underlying the development of these conditions.

We are seeking people who are:

proficient in English

have a diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and

are aged between 18-60 years old

What does the study involve?
There are two individual testing sessions. During the first session, participants are interviewed about their experiences and asked to complete some questionnaires and cognitive tasks on a computer. On a separate day, participants undergo a brain scan and blood test for genetic analysis.

Participants will be reimbursed $70 for their time, transport and parking costs.